ONE of the Queen's corgis which starred with her in the James Bond sketch for the Olympics opening ceremony has died.

Monty, 13, and two other corgis greeted the secret agent, played by Daniel Craig, as he arrived at the Buckingham Palace to accept a mission from the Queen.

Queen's corgiSource:AFP

In the sketch the dogs ran down the stairs, performed tummy rolls and then stood as a helicopter took off for the Olympic stadium, carrying Bond and, apparently, the Queen. The death of Monty, previously owned by the Queen Mother, leaves two corgis in the palace, Willow and Holly.

They too appeared in the Olympic film.

The breed has been associated with the House of Windsor since 1933, when the future George VI bought his first Pembroke corgi.

The palace confirmed the death of Monty who was previously owned by the Queen Mother and of Cider, a dorgi, or dachsund-corgi cross-breed.

It did not provide details on when or how Monty died, or the age of the dog. With the death of Monty, Queen Elizabeth II now has two Pembroke Welsh corgis in the palace - Willow and Holly - both of whom also appeared in the Olympics sketch.

Two other dorgis, Candy and Vulcan, remain.

Monty was named after Monty Roberts, the American subject of a BBC documentary, A Real Horse Whisperer, according to the Sunday Times.

Roberts, 77, who is an adviser to the Queen on horses and corgis, has reportedly offered her a corgi puppy to carry on the tradition.